Gang-plow.



W. S. GRAHAM.

GANG PLOW. APPucAT'lou FILEDVAPR. to. 1914.

Patented Feb. 25, 1919.

4 SHEETS-*SHEET b WIT/VESSES: lNl/EN TOR A TTORNEYS MKYM.

W. S. GRAHAM.

GANG PLOW.-

APPLICATION FILED APR. 10. 1914.

, Patented Feb. 25, 1919.

wuLfil lE. M

whm

ill-Ill: q)

WITNESSES:

ATTORNEY-S W. S GRAHAM.

GANG PLOW.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 10. m4.

WITNESSES. IN I/E IV TOR A TTORN E V5 w. s. GRAHAM. GANG PLOW.

APPLICATION FILED APR.10. I914.

1 %95 479a k Patented Feb. 25, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Ellllllllllllllllllllll 3 WI T/VESSES: IN VE/V TOR a3.j' %W A TTOR/VEYS.

3d j in raised position. is effective to bring about the release of theplows from raised posltion i a past-centerlocking position, means being50 are inglowered position. It is another obwrnmaiv s. Gasman, orCameron, ,naimoxs, nssrenoaro PARLIN & ommnomr r conrnnv, or cnnron,rumors, n coarona'rronor rumors. v

naive-PLOW.

imam.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that-I, WILLIAM S. GRAHAM, acitizen of'the United States,residing at Canton, in the county-of Fulton, State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Gan -Flows, of whlch thefollowing is a specification, reference being had to thefaccompanyingdrawings.

Thisinvention relates to gang plows and particularly to that class ofgang yplows adapted to be-drawn across a field bya traction engine. hisone of the objects of my invention to providemeans involvin the useofonly a single shaft adapted to e actuated at the will of the operatorfrom one ofthe supporting wheels of the plow for raising and loweringthe'plows. It is another object of my invention to provide aconstrnctioninvolving a shaft for raising and lowering the plows suchthat a'rotation of the shaft when the plows are in lowered positionserves to raise the plows and a rotation of the shaft when the plows arein raised position serves to release the plows from raised position. Itis another object of my invention to provide means for raising andlowering the plows involving the use of .a single operating cord forthrowing the raising means into operation, such that a pull upon the.cord when the plows are and: a-pull upon the same cord when the plowsare in lowered position is effective to bring about the raising of theplows. It is 1 another object of. my invention to providea beamsrelativeto the plow frame.

construction involving the use of links for drawingthe plowsto elevatedposition, the forward ends of said links being adapted to be moved in.the plow lifting operation into provided for holding the rear ends ofthe linksjin a normal predetermined position while the plows are inraisedposition regardlessof the angular position of the plow t is an-Other object of, my invention to provide means .in connection with sucha link construction, for preventing the undue sagging of; the. rear endsof the links when the plows ject ofmy invention to improve devices ofthis typein sundry details hereinafter pointetiptlt. l he,..-preferred,means-by which I have "accomplished these objects are illus-Specification of Letters Patent.

' Application filed April 10, 1914. Serial naeaoeos.

Patented- Feb. 25-, 1919.

trated in the drawings and are hereinafter specifically described.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a top or plan-view of a gang plow embodyingmy improvements, only two of the several plows being shown;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the plow shown in Fig. 1, but with'only one ofthe plows illustratedand with one of the supporting wheels removed;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of one of the power elevating. devices inposition ready for raisinga plow upon the actuation of the power shaft;

4 is a similar view, but showing the position of the parts after theplow has been raised with the link in its past-center looking positionfor holding the pl'ow against descending;

r 5 is a similar view but showing the position of the parts when thepower shaft has been given a partial rotation from the position shown inFig. 4:, with the parts in plow to fall freely to the power for liftingpurposes, being substantially a section taken on line 8-8 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 9 is a top shown in Fig. 8.

Referring to the several figures of the drawings, in which correspondingparts are indicated by the same reference characters,-

202l indicate the side bars of the frame ofmy plow converging at theirforward ends and having mounted thereon a caster wheel 22. The bars20-21 are connected at their rear ends to the diagonally-extending rearframe-bar 23 to which the plow beams are adapted to be connected-Journaled upon an aXle 24 carried by the bars 20 and 23 near their rearends isv a ground wheel 25 provided with studs 26 on its periphery bywhich the wheel is enabled to properly grip the ground for powerpurposes. Near the front end of the diagonal bar 23 in rear thereofthere is provided a supporting wheel or plan view of the parts 27.Diagonally-positioned brace-bars 2829 extend from the side bars 20-21respectively, o the diagonal bar 23.

30 31 indicate brackets mounted upon the diagonal bar 23 in any suitablemanner, on each of which bracket-s there are pivotally mounted upon ahorizontal axis bars 32-33 comprising a plow beam, upon which plow beamsplows 34--35 are mounted in any suitable manner by means of standards36. Each of the plow beams has pivotally mounted upon it a swinging arm37, upon the lower end of which there is journaled a gage wheel 38adjustable relative to the plow beam through the medium of a bell cranklever 39 and a link 39 in the manner shown and described in LettersPatent to me No. 1,084,081, of January 13, 1914; A lever 40 .is providedin connection with each of said bell crank levers as described in saidpatent, adapted to be locked at any desired point upon the circularrack-bar 41' and adapted through the medium of a stop 39 on the saidbell crank lever to limit the movement of the bell-crank lever incounter-clockwise direction in Fig. 2. As will be readily understood thelever 40 is also adapted to be swung in clockwise direction in saidfigure for turnin the bell crank lever in the same direction for raisingthe beam and the plow carried thereby upon the gage wheel.

42- 13 indicate the transverse bars of an auxiliary frame secured uponthe main plow frame by means of angle irons 44 or in any other suitablemanner. The cross bars 4243 f the auxiliary frame are joined by aplurality of bars 45, one of such bars being provided for each of theplow beams.

46 indicates a transverse power shaft revolubly mounted in the auxiliaryframe comprising the bars 42, 43 and 45. As best shlown in Figs. 8 and9, 47 indicates a clutch member revolubly mounted upon the shaft 46 atone end thereof, provided upon its outer periphery with a sprocket-gear48. Said sprocket-gear 48 is connected by a sprocket-chain 49 with asprocket-gear 50 revoluble with the ground wheel 25. The clutch member47 is thus maintained during the forward movement of the plow constantlyin rotation in clockwise direction in said Fig. 8.

The means for locking the shaft 46 with the clutch member 47 so as torotate said shaft comprise a bracket 51 keyed or otherwise fixed uponthe shaft 46 adjacent to the clutch member. Pivotally mounted upon thebracket 51 upon a pin 52 carried therebyls an arm 53 provided with aroller 54 adapted to be brought into operative engagement with any oneof the rounded notches or grooves 55 formed on the inner periphery ofthe drum-like clutch member 47. A spring 56 serves to connect thebracket 51 with the arm 53 tending to hold the arm 53 turned inclockwise direction upon the pivot pin 52' 60 upon one of the cross-bars45 of the auxil-.

iary frame, said roller 58 being of such a width as to engage also theadjacent pivotally-mounted arm 53. Said bar 59 is provided with anopening in its upper end by which a cord or cable 60 is secured to saidarm, said cord being provided for the purpose of pulling the upper endof said arm forward against the action of a spring 61 secured thereto.As clearly shown in Fig. 8, the roller 58 carried by the lower end ofthe arm 59 when in normal position in the notch 57 in the outer end ofthe bracket 51 serves to hold the roller 54 carried by the arm 53displaced to the right in said fi ure out of operative engagement withthe c utch member 47.

As will be readily understood, when it is desired to give the shaft 46 arotation in clockwise direction in Fig. 8, the arm or lever 59 is givena stroke in clockwise direction in said figureby a forward pull upon thecord 60' or in any other suitable manner, withdrawing the roller 58 fromthe notch 57. The arm 53 is then turned upon the pin 52 by the spring56, bringing the roller 54 into operative engagement with one of thenotches or grooves 55, causing the shaft 46 to turn in clockwisedirection in said figure with the constantly-rotating clutch member 47.As soon as the bracket 51 has been turned sufficiently to clear theroller 58, the lever 5-9 may be released, whereupon the spring 61'serves to return such lever 59 to the position shown in Fig. 8. I Whenthe bracket 51 has substantially completed a single rotation the frontedge of 'the bracket is brought into, contact with the roller 58,causing the displacement of said roller to the left in Fig. 8 until theroller can again drop into normal position in the notch 57 of saidbracket, displacing the arm 53 and roller 54 as above described. thusstopping the rotation of the shaft 46.

Adjacent to each of the bars 45 of the auxiliary frame there isrevolubly mounted upon the shaft 46 an arm 62, said arm being held inposition onsaid shaft by the hub 63 of the lifting bracket 64 fixed uponsaid shaft adjacent to the hub 65 of said arm. Pivotally mounted uponthe outer end of said arm 62 is a link 66 to which, near its rear end, asecond link 67 is pivotally connected. As best shown in Figs. 1 and 2,the rear end of each of the links 67 passes freely through a perforatedlug 68 carried by one of the bell crank levers 39. Each of said links 67has adjustably mounted upon it a masses stop device 68', in theconstruction shown saidstop device being in the form of a nut securedthereon by means of screw-threads.

'tion between said links 6667, said stud 69 being adapted to rest uponthe link 67 so as to keep said links 6667 substantially in alinementwith each other and to prevent their sagging downward at their pivotalconnection.

Each of the brackets 64 comprises two arms 707l, the arm 71 beingslightly longer than the arm 70 and being provided with a notch 72 inits outer end. Upon each of the arms 62 ,is pivotally mounteda pawl 73in alinement with the bracket 64 adjacent to said arm. Upon the pivotpin 74 of each of said pawls there is mounted a light coiled spring. 75which bears upon the pawl, tending to' hold the pawl frictionallyagainst swinging relative to the arm 62. Upon a rotation of the shaft 46in clockwise direction in Fig. 3, the arm 71 is brought into engagementwith the end of the pawl 73, causing the arm 62 to turn in clockwisedirection with said shaft, swinging the bell crank lever 39 in clockwisedirection in Fig. 2 through the medium of the links 66-67 and causingthe plow 35 to rise out of the ground upon the gage wheel 38. Soon afterthe pivotal connection between the link 66 and the arm 62 passes belowthe center of the shaft 46, the end of the pawl 73 in advance in itsmovement with thea'rm 62 is brought in contact with a stud, or roller 76carried by the bar 45, causing the pawl to turn in clockwise directionrelative to the arm 62, freeing the end of said pawl from the notch 72of the lifting arm 71. The arm 62 then comes vto'rest upon the stud orroller 76 with the end of the link 66 in a past-center locking position,"as will be readily understood, serving to maintain the plow in elevatedposition. When the shaft 46 has completed a single revolution, itsrotation is stopped as above described, with the parts in the conditionshown in Fig.4. With the plow held in raised position, as illustrated inFig. 4, the rear end of the link 66 is supported by a standard 77mounted upon the transverse bar 42 of the auxiliary frame. In thisposition the stud 69 is at some little distance from the link 67 so thatat whatever angle the link 67 extends rearwardly from its pivotalconnection with the link 66 the link 66 itself is held always in thesame position relative to the shaft 46.

Whenever it is desired to lower the plows. the shaft 46 is again set inrotation, bring ing the arms 70 of the brackets 64 into contact withstuds or rollers 78 carried by the link 66, serving to raise the forwardends of said links out of their past-center locking position whereby theplows are permitted to drop by gravity into working position. Therotation of the arm 62 in counterclockwise direction is limited'by a pin79 carried by the bar 45 of the auxiliary frame. As the arm 62approaches its rearmost position, as shown in-Fig. 3, the pawl 73 isbrought in contact with a stud or roller 80carried by the frame-bar 45,serving to turn the pawl 73 against the frictional action ofthe spring75 into position to be engaged by the arm 71 of the bracket 64 upon thenext succeeding rotation of the shaft46. By reason. of the shorterlength of the arm 70, such arm 70 is adapted to be turned past the pawl7-3 without operatively engaging it.

From the above description it will be seen that a rotation of the shaft46 with the plow in raised position serves to release the plow fromraised position by raising the link 66 outof its past-center lockingposition; and

that a rotation of the shaft 46 with the plows in their lowered positionserves to raise said plows. That is to say, each alternate rotation ofthe shaft 46 serves normally to raise the plows, and each other al-- Aswill be readily understood, eachof the plows is provided with raisingmeans of the type above-described, comprising an arm 62, a bracket 64,links 66 and 67 and pawl 73, whereby said plows are raised and loweredby independently-acting mechanisms actuated by the shaft 46 and itsoperating means. As is best shown in Fig. 7, the brackets 64 arepreferably staggered upon the shaft 46 relative to each other wherebythe several plows are raised successively, as is well understood in theart.

While I have shown the cable 60 in the form of a flexible cord, it willbe understood that I do not wish to limit myself to that specificallyclaimed. I a

, WVith the operating means by which the rotation of the shaft 46 iseffectively transmitted to the several plows for raising purposes inoperative position with the pawls 73 turned upon their pivot pins 74 soas to be engaged by the arms 71 of the bracket 64, the operation of themachine will be normal, as above described. It will be readilyunderstood, however, that if such operating parts should not be movedcompletely into operative position whereby any of the arms 71 when theplows are in lowered position might be moved past the corresponding awl73 without engaging it, the rotation of the shaft 46 would then fail tohave any effect upon the plow normally adapted to be raised through theuse of such' arm and pawl. While it is important that some expedient beemployed for insuring that the operating parts includingthe pawls 73shall be in operative position when desired, I wish to have itunderstood that I'do not limit myself to the particular means shown norto any automatically-acting means for accomplishing this result, exceptas hereinafter specifically claimed.

While my raising and lowering means is designed normally for raising allof the plows in order and for thereafter lowering all of the plows inorder, it will be understood that the mechanism as shown is ada ted tooperate effectively whether all t e plows are being raised together inorder or not. For example, if when all the plows are standing in raisedposition the operator should manually raise one of the links 66 so as topermit one of the plows to fall to the ground, then upon the nextcomplete rotation of the shaft 46 the plows in raised position would belowered and the plow in lowered position would be raised.

By the use of the standards 77, regardless of diiferent angles at whichthe plow beams stand on account of the unevenness of the ground, thelinks 66 are all maintained at a uniform angle when the plows are inraised position so that the arms 70 are brought into effective operationto raise such links at precisely the proper intervals for dropping theplows successively as desired. 'YVhat I claim-as m invention and desireto secure by Letters, atent, is-

1. In a gang plow, the combination of a frame, a plow operativelyconnected with said frame and adapted to be raised and lowered relativethereto, a shaft, a link operatively connected with said plow extendingadjacent to said shaft, means carried around by a rotation of said shaftadapted to exert a pull upon said link for raising said plow and formoving the forward end of said link into a past-center locking position,and a standard mounted on the frame in alinement with said link uponwhich standard the rear end of the link rests when the plow is in raisedosition, the link being thus kept constant y in normal position relativeto the releasing Copies of this patent may be obtained for mergers meanswhile the plow is in raised position whereby the releasing may beaccurately timed.

2. In a gang plow, the combination of a frame, a plow operativelyconnected with said frame and adapted to be raised and lowered relativethereto, a rigid link operatively connected with said plow at its rearend whereby a forward pull upon said link serves to raise said plow, asecond rigid link pivotally connected to said first-named link, meansfor exerting a forward pull upon said second link for raising said plow,and means for preventing said links from sagging at their pivotalconnection.

3. In a gang plow, the combination of a frame, a plow operativelyconnected with said frame and adapted to be raised and lowered relativethereto, a rigid link operatively connected with said plow at its rearend whereby a forward pull upon said link serves to raise said plow, asecond rigid link pivotally connected to saidfirst-named link, and meansfor exerting a forward ull upon said second link for raising said p ow,said links being adapted to swing upward freely at their pivotalconnection but be ing limited in their downward swinging relative toeach other.

4. In a gang plow, the combination of a frame, a plow operativelyconnected with. said frame and adapted to be raised and lowered relativethereto, a rigid link operatively connected with said plow at its rearend whereby a forwardpull upon said link serves to raise said plow, asecond rigid link pivotally connected to said first-named link, meansfor exerting a forward pull upon said second link for raising said plow,and means carried by one of said links adapted to engage the other linkfor limiting the swinging of said other link in an upward directionrelative to said one link.

WILLIAM s. GRAHAM.

lVitnesses:

WILLIAM C. LIN'roN, RAY FORTENBACK.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington,D. G.

